Playing Dirty: What Would Have Happened
by Letting it Go
Summary: Several chapters did not make it into the original story. These "alternate chapters" are narrated here. How would the events of "Playing Dirty" have been different if Hans were just a little more evil? If Elsa lost her will to go on? Here is a look at what would have happened, if our characters had made some different decisions. RATING CHANGED TO M FOR GRAPHIC VIOLENCE & RAPE
1. Alternate Chapter 10

**Hello everyone! Before I begin my next story, I thought it would be nice to give you a taste of the "deleted scenes" from Playing Dirty. In other words, there were several chapters (10, 14, 16, 19, 21, and the epilogue) for which I wrote two versions. This "story" isn't really a story, but a collection of chapters that weren't included in the original. **

**Let us begin with the ****alternate Chapter 10****, in which Hans ignores his conscience and completes the unthinkable.**

**WARNING:**** This chapter is pretty dark, and contains an extremely brutal rape scene****. **

**FEEL FREE TO SKIP TO THE NEXT CHAPTER. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. **

**Chapter 10:**

_Your kingdom isn't the only thing you're losing tonight._ Hans chuckled at his clever play on words. Elsa was clearly terrified and fully aware of what he was about to do. But she was still disoriented, and managed a flimsy resistance at best. Puffs of snow collided harmlessly against his face. Hans removed one of his gloves and forced it roughly into her mouth, stifling any screams she might attempt to make. He would have her screaming soon enough, anyways.

Elsa placed both hands against his chest and desperately tried to push him away. Hans growled in annoyance. She was really becoming a nuisance. Why couldn't the witch just accept that she lost this one? Channeling over two decades of repressed rage and indignation towards his brothers, Hans drew back his fist and smashed it into Elsa's already-bruised cheek with a sickening crunch. The witch emitted a muffled scream of pain. _There, _he thought smugly. _That'll teach her. Nobody fucks with King Hans of Arendelle. _

Hans leered in sadistic triumph. He had won this one. The witch was completely at his mercy, and in a few moments he would break her spirit for good. With great vigor, the disgraced prince of the Southern Isles gripped the front of her dress and tore it all the way open. Elsa let out a terrified gasp and quickly rolled to the side, pulling her knees up to her chest. Hans paused to enjoy the show. He cackled at her pathetically feeble attempt at fighting off the inevitable.

_Resistance is futile, witch. You're mine._ He reached down and ripped away her bra and panties. The thirteenth prince grinned childishly as he prepared to dig in to the soft, vulnerable flesh that now lay completely exposed for him to plunder. An early Christmas present, hand-wrapped and personally delivered to Hans from God himself.

The youngest prince of the Southern Isles had always been on the receiving end of abuse and injustice. For the first time in forever, the tables were turned. For the first time in forever, someone was powerless against him. He had earned this right. Hans wanted to inflict pain on her. She had no idea what he had been through. Not to mention that Elsa was the microcosm of everything that was unfair and unhappy about his life. She was psychologically raping him simply by existing. He was only leveling the playing field.

There was also the enticing appeal of claiming her as a trophy on his belt. Who would've thought that the youngest son would have the pleasure of defiling the most coveted woman on Earth?

The witch continued to fight. Another cloud of snow exploded against his face. But in her weakened state, she was powerless to harm him with her magic. She could only stall for time. A vicious slap across the mouth bloodied her lip and stilled her resistances. Hans smirked as he licked her blood from his fingers.

He paused for a moment, then removed her gag. He wanted to hear her screaming in agony and crying tears of unfathomable grief. The witch mumbled incoherently.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that."

Fresh tears welled in her eyes, as she spoke again in barely a whisper. "Hans, please don't do this to me."

Hans snorted derisively. "Sorry, witch. You'll soon find that I'm rather used to getting what I want. Now open your fucking legs."

"I'm not a witch! Why are you treating me this way? I've done nothing to you!"

"You ratted me out. That's all the justification I need. You should've told that fat pig to mind his own business."

Her voice became more whiny and desperate. "I didn't tell Kai anything! Please, believe me!"

Hans grabbed Elsa by the shoulders and slammed her back against the ground. "I said, _open your fucking legs_!"

The witch was more persistent that he envisioned. From his current position, sitting on her upper abdomen with his legs straddling her, she had a clear shot at a rather vulnerable part of his body. Elsa slammed a fist into his crotch. As he recoiled in pain, she attempted to wriggle free from beneath him.

"You fucking bitch!" Hans roared, yanking her back into place. "No one says _no_ to King Hans of Arendelle!" In blind rage and bloodlust, Hans seized a fountain pen lying on a coffee table. A blur of red flashed before his eyes. All he knew was that he wanted to inflict as much pain as possible on that sassy witch who dared defy him. Hans drew back the hand holding the pen, and plunged its steely length into the crook of Elsa's arm.

A spurt of blood jetted forth from the open wound, and began trickling down her fingertips. The wich collapsed limply to the floor, her chest heaving and her fighting spirit subdued, as she cradled her injured arm and sobbed pitifully.

"You brought this onto yourself, witch." Thoroughly consumed by pain, she was completely oblivious to his comment. Hans saw his chance. He forced her knees apart and thrust forward as hard and deep as he could. "You're a virgin, huh? Even better."

Elsa let out a bone-chilling scream that echoed violently throughout the entire kingdom, as she felt her body being torn in half. A fresh wave of tears sprang forth, forming frozen rivers along both cheeks. Every fiber of her being was completely overcome with searing agony. Her throat was raw from screaming his name, begging him to stop. But Hans hardly noticed. He let out loud, sensuous moans as he thrust even harder, ripping through the tender flesh and shredding her insides to mincemeat.

"Oh fuck, this is amazing! Goddammit, you're so fucking tight! Will you look at that? Poor, pathetic little Hans has bagged himself a Snow Queen, and is fucking her intestines out all over the floor." He gave a particularly vicious thrust, and felt his appendage tear open a huge gaping hole in her inner walls. His hard shaft repeatedly slammed against her cervix. More blood streamed down and left a crimson puddle on the marble tiles. "Beat that, Haakon!"

Finally, he had enough fun. Hans was pretty sure Elsa would die any minute, if he kept going. He slowly stood up straight and dressed himself, sniggering triumphantly. The witch lay in a sobbing mess at his feet, drenched in her own blood and tears. As he turned to leave, he spat viciously in her direction. An enormous mass of phlegm landed on her bruised, swollen cheek. "Keep that as a souvenir. First session of our wedding night practice." Hans tossed one of his gloves at her. "And that's a present for our dear friend Kai."

* * *

><p>Kai slowly walked up and down the Great Hall, passing through row after row of incapacitated victims. What on earth could have befallen these poor people? Guards had to be stationed in the room to restrain people from tearing the castle apart, as they desperately tried to end their own lives. Last night, Kristoff's sled had been destroyed when the ice master swerved to avoid hitting a man who had thrown himself under Sven's hooves.<p>

What ailment could be so gut-wrenchingly torturous that it made death a physical impossibility, yet compelled its sufferers to attempt suicide at every turn? Kai sighed and rubbed his forehead. It simply made no sense.

Every flare-up of symptoms occurred almost precisely four hours after the previous one finished. Kai glanced at his watch. There was still an hour to go before the next conflagration. But the castle was still eerily quiet.

Kai realized that he had not seen Hans or Elsa since they made the news of their engagement public. He felt a strange sense of foreboding. Hans hadn't done anything overtly suspicious at the announcement, but Kai had noticed uncomfortable Elsa appeared when he pulled her into the kiss. She made no move to reciprocate, and had frankly appeared quite scared and disgusted. That was all he needed to see. Kai was absolutely convinced that foul play was at work.

He wasn't going to learn anything by talking to Hans. The soon-to-be king would only continue to bombard Kai with a barrage of shallow and syrupy comments professing his love for Elsa. He had also tried to obtain information from Anna and Kristoff. The princess and the ice master clearly knew something that he didn't. But they were both reluctant to talk, and always became very conspicuously uneasy whenever Hans was mentioned.

Perhaps Elsa could shed some light on this mysterious state of affairs. Kai patrolled through the castle, checking through the places where Elsa could normally be found. Perhaps she was in the library, indulging in its vast repertoire of books or completing some paperwork? Or resting in the guest room where she was temporarily residing? Or in her actual bedroom, which was now occupied by the little red-haired girl? Could she be in the castle gardens, enjoying a quiet afternoon?

But the Snow Queen was nowhere to be found. Kai was about to postpone his search, when a draft of icy wind gave him a hint. He tiptoed down a small, sparsely-traveled corridor and pushed open the door to a room that he barely even knew existed. His mouth dropped open and he nearly fell to his knees at the appalling sight that greeted him.

The sweet little angel he had taken care of since infancy was curled up on a sofa, wrapped in a bedsheet, with a flood of tears pouring down her cheeks. Her blonde hair was messy and disheveled, and deep purple contusions covered her arms and legs. One eye was swollen shut, and her normally beautiful face was mottled with bruises and swellings. Every inch of the walls were coated with thick blue ice that reflected a harsh, unwelcoming glow across the room. Thick, jagged icicled protruded from the walls and ceilings. Kai advanced with caution, lest he lose his balance and impale himself.

Elsa seemed to notice his presence. "Kai, please go away," she sobbed, burying her face into a pillow. "You'll get hurt." The ice grew thicker.

Kai ignored her and slowly sat down on the sofa. He tried to wrap his large, beefy arm around Elsa's slender form as gently as he could, careful to avoid her bruises. She let out a whimper of pain and feebly pushed him away without making eye contact. Kai felt his fingertips brush against something wet. He glanced down and gasped aloud in horror as he saw blood seeping through the bedsheet near her elbow. With utmost care, he extricated her arm from the tangled mess of cloth, and examined it carefully. Just below her inner elbow was a deep puncture wound as thick as a man's finger. Blood bubbled out in slow, steady pulses. His eyes drifted further south. A patch of crimson was also spreading across the beige fabric of the sofa, forming a spot of blood the size of a dinner plate under her bottom.

Without thinking, Kai tugged at the bedsheet covering her trembling body. What other horrific injuries had she sustained, and how? He quickly pulled back in mortification as he realized she was nude beneath it. A sideways glance revealed that her clothes lay discarded in a messy pile on the floor, haphazardly torn along the seams.

A crumpled white glove lay on the floor at the foot of the sofa. As Kai slowly reached down to pick it up, his hand brushed against a sheet of parchment tucked partially between the cushions. With trembling fingers, he unfolded the note and read. There, scrawled in black ink and covered in red fingerprints, was a brief but appalling message.

_Dear Kai,_

_Next time, mind your own business. _

It took Kai a moment to recognize the glove and its owner, and he instantly realized what must have happened. A whirlwind of emotions swirled violently through his head. He hated Hans with every ounce of his being, but the man blamed and despised himself to a far greater degree. He failed to protect her. He failed to act in a timely manner. He had even been responsible for eliciting this behavior from Hans, by confronting him earlier that day. Tears of guilt and shame burned his cheeks. _I'm so sorry Adgar. I failed you. I let that evil man hurt both of your girls. _He patted Elsa soothingly on the back. This time, she did not flinch at his touch.

"Your Majesty," Kai began.

Elsa let out a choked sob. "Please, don't call me that. I don't deserve it."

"Of course you do. If your mother and father were here today, they would be so proud of everything you've done for Arendelle. They couldn't have asked for better daughters."

She shook her head. "I have to abdicate. The people deserve better. I'm just a dirty whore."

Kai brushed away a tear as he gently took her face into his hands. "Elsa, listen to me. You are a wonderful person. We couldn't ask for anyone better to take care of our beautiful kingdom. Myself, Gerda, Anna, Kristoff, and everyone in Arendelle… we are so blessed to have you in our lives. The only person who should feel dirty and ashamed is the man who hurt you."

Finally, she fell into his embrace and wept uncontrollably for nearly ten minutes. Huge, shuddering spasms of grief that only began to reflect the horror within. The fatherly butler could feel his heart break as he held her trembling body. When she began to calm down, Kai spoke. He chose his words carefully, mindful of her emotional state but still needing to get his message across. "Elsa, I don't know why Prince Hans is in Arendelle, or what leverage he has." He stroked her hair affectionately. "But none of that matters anymore. Today he went too far. What he did is unforgivable, and he deserves nothing short of death."

Elsa lifted her head and looked at him with teary, half-closed eyes. "He didn't mean to do it. He just lost control, and he promised it would never happen again."

The corpulent man cleared his throat. "Once is enough. The fact remains that he is capable of doing such a thing. That he only cares about his own desires. This is not someone you want to spend your life with."

Elsa started crying again. "Please, can we just forget about this? It was an accident. It was my fault too… I led him on."

Kai knew that this was far from the truth. But he knew Elsa well enough to understand that the more he pressed her with questions, the more she would clam up. She would talk once she was ready. He took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Very well, I trust your judgment. But as your father's oldest friend and advisor, it is my duty to remind you that such occurrences are rarely a one-time thing. If he did it once, he will do it again. Be very careful around this man."

Then he smiled and gave her an affectionate hug. "Would you like a warm bath? It will make you feel better."

Elsa tried to rise from the sofa. But the pain that consumed her entire body made it impossible to walk. Her knees buckled and she collapsed weakly to the floor. Kai covered her in a thick, fluffy blanket and carried her to the bathroom. As he filled the tub with hot water, she sat in a remote corner and huddled against the wall. She cried for the seven hundred poor innocent people who lay helpless and dying in the Great Hall below. She cried for the vicious assault she had endured. She cried for the scars she would forever live with; for the trauma that would forever haunt her dreams. Above it all, she cried for the possibility that she may never be free from that horrible man who had ruined so many lives.

"Your bath is ready, dear." Elsa nodded gratefully through her tears. Kai hugged her close to his chest. "If you need anything, just let me know."

When she had settled down, Kai left the room. His fatherly affection warmed her heart. But she was also quite unnerved at how close he had come to uncovering the truth. This would certainly not work to the benefit of those poisoned. Elsa was starting to have some serious doubts whether or not this façade could last another five days, until the wedding ceremony. She needed answers quickly. She needed to create distractions for Hans and buy herself some more space and privacy, as she continued her inquiries.

Elsa buried her face between her knees and wept bitterly. She felt so filthy and worthless, and wanted to end her life. How could Hans hurt her like that? She had always known he was a wicked man, but she couldn't believe he was capable of such depths of cruelty. How could he derive pleasure from inflicting so much pain on another human being? She wanted nothing more than to lay in the bath for the rest of the day and soothe her aching, bruised body. But there was no time to waste, and the mystery wasn't going to solve itself. She finished her bath and climbed out of the tub with a wince of pain, before heading back to the castle library.

* * *

><p>Elsa flipped carefully through the flaky pages of the ancient Latin Bible. <em>Men will seek death, but death shall escape them.<em> She was quite certain that the Book of Revelations didn't contain the identity of the mysterious poison, but the coincidence was too compelling to ignore. Her eyes scanned the adjacent verses.

_And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth… Their torment was as the sting of a scorpion…And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, who in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon._

_Apollyon._ Excitement exploded in the pit of her stomach, as the word triggered a distant, repressed memory deep within her subconscious. She was certain that she had encountered that esoteric name in one of her previous readings. Perhaps she had skimmed unseeingly over it just yesterday, or perhaps she had encountered it years ago as a child poring through books to alleviate boredom and numbness. With no thought of how crude and uncouth her gestures would have seemed to any outsider, Elsa snatched a dozen books off the shelf and threw the covers open with tremendous vigor.

Five hours of unflagging patience and meticulousness finally paid off. There it was, in miniscule writing scrawled in faded ink on the parchment. Buried in a sea of archaic vocabulary and pedantic scribbling and mind-numbingly convoluted run-on sentences. Why couldn't these ancient writers simply say what they mean? She skimmed through several dozen pages of redundant ramblings, picking out just the important details.

_Apollyon's Elixir…The most fearsome entity the brightest and boldest minds in alchemy ever dared to imagine... A devilish concoction trickling slowly and surreptitiously through the blood and lymph, as the trail of trichinella through the tracts of unsuspecting swine... Compels its victims to yearnings of death unattainable, until death shall mercifully claim them when as many days have elapsed as there are vertices in the __tetractys of Pythagoras__…A brew so grotesquely noxious and sadistically inexorable, Satan himself eyes its sufferers with compassion and contrition, and forbids its usage against the vilest souls in the deepest quarries of fire and brimstone…_

This was it! Arendelle was saved, and Hans had lost his only weapon. But premature celebration would not be her downfall. Elsa reminded herself that she was only halfway there. She marked the page and continued scanning through the text, eyes peeled for any tidbit of information pertaining to a treatment.

_Bang bang bang!_ Someone was pounding on the library door with great conviction. Elsa caught herself just before she screamed in frustration and unleashed a massive barrage of expletives. Of all the moments this clueless, bungling idiot—whoever he was—could have chosen to interrupt her! She plugged her ears and continued reading. But the knocking grew in volume and frequency.

Elsa nearly blasted the door off its hinges. She was far too irritated to notice or care how unqueenly she must have appeared. "Whoever you are, I swear I will have you beheaded if—"

It was Kai. His face was flushed and sweat glistened on his balding forehead. "Your Majesty," he wheezed. "Arendelle is under attack. Enemy ship spotted along Northwestern border."

**THIS was the Chapter 10 that didn't make it into the story. Next up, the other version of Chapter 14. **


	2. Alternate Chapter 14

**Welcome to the alternate version of ****Chapter 14****, in which Hans gets confronted for what he did to Elsa. **

**Note: the "alternate chapters" were meant to be one package. For example, everything that happens in the Alternate Ch 21 will be based on the events of Alternate Chapters 10, 14, 16, etc. **

The streets of Arendelle were packed with ecstatic citizens partying wildly, celebrating their recent victory. Half-eaten food, empty bottles, and paper streamers littered the streets. Small groups of people gathered here and there to burn Weselton's flag. In their drunken frenzy, everyone seemed to have temporarily forgotten about the seven hundred poison victims. The din was deafening. Music rattled off the castle walls, as thousands of inebriated men and women could be heard belting out a slurred rendition of _Let it Go_ at the top of their lungs. Kids wearing costumes darted around, throwing ice cubes at each other and reenacting the battle scene. "Never underestimate the power of Frosty!" A little girl wearing a cyan-colored dress and a paper crown flicked her wrists about. "Pew pew pew! Die, you stupid weasel!"

Elsa had just finished skimming through the alchemy book for the twentieth time, eyes peeled for details pertaining to Apollyon's Elixir, making sure she didn't miss anything. With six days to go until the poison victims ran out of time, she had to be absolutely sure that the antidote could be obtained in a timely manner. But her eyes were numb after countless hours cooped up in the castle library. She decided to step into the courtyard for brief respite.

But there would be no peace and quiet no matter where she went. The castle courtyard was also packed with revelers. Among them was a horde of shirtless young men with flags wrapped around their shoulders, pumping their fists as they sloshed down bottle after bottle of ale. "Fuck 'em up, Frosty! Fuck those weasels right in the ass! Show them what we're made of in Arendelle!"

A tall blonde boy, who was perhaps seventeen years old, chuckled as he spoke jocularly to his friends, "Dude, Frosty fucked that weasel so hard, he'll be crapping blood every day for the rest of his life." The other youths sniggered in agreement and gave her a thumbs-up. She gave a contrite little smile and quickly retreated back into the castle, before she could break down in tears and set off another Eternal Winter.

She had no problem relating to the people on a more informal level, but their profane choice of words made her cringe. It had been the same type of language that Hans so liberally used when he violently assaulted her. Elsa blinked back tears at the memory. No one knew of how she cried herself to sleep. How she forced herself to stay awake until she collapsed from fatigue, desperately trying to avoid the inevitable nightmares. How she had woken up three times last night, screaming in terror and freezing the entire room, until Kai rushed into the room and soothed her back to sleep.

Elsa was also quite bashful and uncomfortable with all the fanfare. From her perspective, she was only fulfilling her role as Protector of the Dominion, and really hadn't done anything worthy of nationwide celebration. She decided to stay out of sight until things had calmed down a bit. All the extra attention made her feel awkward. In fact, she wouldn't even wear her crown in most public settings, because it made her stand out. The Snow Queen didn't want to be reviled or worshiped for her powers. She just wanted to be treated normally. But it sure beat being viewed as a monster or witch.

Then there was the issue of Captain Yorick. Anna was right; the man had committed high treason. Elsa hated punishing her subjects. Fortunately, her reign had brought peace and prosperity to Arendelle, so crime rates were unprecedentedly low. But serious offenses were committed on rare occasions nonetheless. She hated looking someone in the eye, no matter how egregious a felon they were, and sealing their fate with a single spoken word. It made her feel like a tyrant.

But the captain had done a terrible thing, and had put his own selfish ambitions before the needs of the kingdom. Everyone had been affected by the ramifications of his behavior. By running off, he left Arendelle unprotected, and nearly got all the soldiers killed in the blizzard up in the Northwestern Mountains. His cruelty towards the young soldier was also despicable.

Neither of the royal sisters had ever been fond of Captain Yorick. But it was important that she didn't let her personal distaste towards the man cloud her judgment. Legality and common sense must always trump vengeance and pettiness. At the trial that afternoon, Anna, Kristoff, and the council all gave their input, but she alone had the final say. Elsa decided that a fair sentence would be to strip him of his rank, and demote him to a common soldier. He would spend the next five years cleaning out the stables. When those five years had transpired, he would be allowed to regain his rank, if he had shown compliance and humility during his sentence.

Elsa had been half-expecting Captain Yorick to launch into a loud and angry tirade, declaring himself innocent of any wrongdoing and even issuing some threats. She envisioned him flipping tables, throwing chairs, and blasting her with profane and perverse comments. But he accepted his punishment rather calmly. It was very atypical for the man to exhibit no signs of belligerence. Perhaps he had genuinely seen the error of his ways. If even Hans was capable of doing good, then perhaps there was still hope for Captain Yorick.

* * *

><p>The clock struck midnight. Elsa rose from the library sofa she had been sleeping on, and tiptoed down the hall to wake Anna and Kristoff. On the way to their rooms, she briefly paused beside the door behind which Isabella slept peacefully. The soft, melodious tune of the harp was faintly audible. Elsa smiled and gently brushed her fingers along the intricate snowflake pattern. <em>Sleep tight, little one. Tomorrow morning you will be well again. <em>

This was the best time to make their move. Everyone in the castle was asleep, including Hans. The drunken revelry in the streets had dispersed, as people either retreated back to their homes in utter exhaustion, or took their partying to the taverns. Elsa wanted to make sure that absolutely nothing and no one would get in their way until the task was complete. Until every single one of the poison victims had swallowed the antidote, every move must be made with utter caution and secrecy.

Anna and Kristoff got dressed quickly. Elsa stifled a grin as Anna furiously and unsuccessfully attempted to tame her bedhead. The trio made a quick stop in the library to grab the alchemy book, making sure to mark the correct pages.

"Elsa, what's that on your arm?" Anna asked suddenly.

Elsa gulped nervously. Her sleeve had slipped a few inches when she reached to pick up the book, revealing one of the ugly bruises that Hans had inflicted. "N-nothing," she stammered, quickly smoothing her sleeve. "No big deal. Nothing to sneeze at."

The temperature in the library plummeted as Anna lunged forward and grabbed her sister's wrist. She pulled the sleeve all the way back, revealing dozens of finger-shaped bruises and puffy red hematomas. "Elsa, who did this to you?"

"Shh!" Kristoff quickly moved to close the door.

Anna pushed his hand away from her mouth with an indignant huff. "It was Hans, wasn't it? He left that bruise on your face too, didn't he? And that bruise on your knee? And that cut on your arm? I knew you were lying about running into a wall. Only I would do that."

Elsa buried her face in resignation. She had meant to tell them after they had obtained the antidote, knowing that the feisty princess wouldn't be able to resist tearing Hans to pieces and revealing the marriage as fake. But she had been discovered, and Anna wasn't going to let the matter drop. With hands trembling and tears welling in her eyes, Elsa revealed everything that Hans had done. From his first assault against her outside of Isabella's room, to his behavior at the council meeting. She explained how Kai had grown suspicious. How he must have confronted Hans about the authenticity of the wedding.

Anna and Kristoff reacted just as she expected. They exploded with rage.

"The bastard!" Anna shrieked. Elsa nervously clapped a hand over her mouth, but the enraged redhead pushed her away. "Forget the antidote. Hans deserves to die right here and now." Anna jumped to her feet and headed for the door in long, purposeful strides. Elsa quickly reached out and froze the door shut.

Elsa wiped away her tears. "We need to get the antidote first. We can deal with Hans after that."

Anna kicked and pounded furiously at the sealed door. "Unfreeze this right now! Forget the antidote. I'll kill him!" she snapped.

Elsa lowered her head and mumbled unintelligibly.

Kristoff patted her hand gently. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

She buried her face between her knees. "I might be pregnant."

Anna temporarily stopped trying to break down the door. "What did you say?" she gasped in utter shock and disbelief.

"What if Hans got me pregnant? The people would kill me… and the baby too!"

Kristoff leapt to his feet. "What did that bastard do to you?" he bellowed loud enough to wake the entire castle.

Elsa dissolved into a fit of tears, coughing and choking incoherently as she continued the story. Through her sobs, she explained how Hans had beaten her senseless and thrown her onto the ground like a rag doll. How he tore her clothes away and lowered his lustful body top of her, eyeing her nude figure like a ravenous wolf. His fists bludgeoning her face, and the razor-sharp steel fountain pen skewering her arm. The shame and disgust she felt as he groped her breasts and suffocated her with kisses. Finally, the agony of his incredibly rough and brutal penetration. She had screamed herself hoarse, all her pride and restraint forsaken as she desperately begged him to stop, but Hans had only intensified the assault. Elsa tried to remain calm, but she couldn't stop the tears from flowing. Soon she was crying too hard to utter another word.

_BOOM!_ She was brought back to reality with a deafening crack that jolted the entire room. Elsa removed her teary, swollen face from Anna's shoulder, and glanced sideways. Kristoff was nowhere to be seen. All that remained of the library door was a crooked doorframe, and a pile of splintered wood and icy fragments.

* * *

><p>Hans lay in bed, snoring softly with a big goofy grin on his face, smacking his lips as he dreamed of ravishing a very special blonde to his heart's content. "Damn Frosty… you've got the hottest tits ever…" he mumbled sleepily.<p>

A thunderous crash interrupted his luscious fantasies. "Wait Frosty, come back… I'm not done fucking you yet…"

A fragment of wood collided with his head, banishing the final remnants of his dream. Hans sat upright in bed. The castle was dark, but he could make out a large, burly man standing where his door had previously been.

Hans swore out loud. "Jesus Christ! Do you people have any manners at all in this kingdom? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

The man strode into the room, grabbed one corner of the mattress, and lifted it high into the air. Hans tumbled to the floor with a loud crash. He rubbed his aching head and opened his eyes. Kristoff was glaring at him with a murderous expression.

Hans leapt to his feet belligerently. "Who the fuck do you think you are, disturbing the King of Arendelle like that?"

The ice harvester grabbed the front of his shirt. "You son of a bitch! You ought to be hanged for what you did!"

Hans glared into his chocolate-brown eyes. "I've done nothing wrong, you dirty peasant."

Kristoff ignored him. "What did you do to Elsa?"

Hans snorted and rolled his eyes. "What happened to our little Drama Queen this time? Is it that time of the month again?"

"Don't play stupid! You know what I'm talking about!" Kristoff roared into his face.

"When is Elsa ever _not_ pissed at me? I swear, that girl is on her period every day of the month. It's no wonder Arendelle has such a big tampon industry. I think I'll buy her a box of Extra Large tampons as a wedding gift."

From the corner of his eye, Hans could see Kristoff clenching a massive fist at his side, ready to strike.

Hans patted his foe on the shoulder patronizingly. "Listen to me, Reindeer Boy. I don't tell you how to harvest your ice. You don't tell me how to run my kingdom. It's that simple."

"Arendelle will never be yours! Once the people find out what you did, you won't be the king of anything!" Kristoff whipped a hand across Hans' face, splitting his lip and drawing blood.

But Hans was not ready to concede yet. He feigned a look of understanding and pacification. "Look, there's been a misunderstanding. You see, as Elsa's husband and as King of Arendelle, I'm entitled to certain things. Such as her tight little virgin booty. Elsa thought she had the right to say _no_ to me, and I respectfully disagreed. End of story. If she hadn't been so difficult, I would've been more gentle."

Kristoff had heard enough. He grabbed Hans by the wrists and flung him across the room. The red-haired prince collided with the opposite wall with a satisfying crack. As Hans clambered back to his feet, the ice harvester vaulted over the overturned bed and slammed a massive fist into his nose. A shower of blood drenched both of their shirts.

"How dare you attack the King of Arendelle?" Hans shrieked, spitting blood from his mouth. He took a furious swing at Kristoff's face, but the blonde man ducked out of the way. A swift blow to the stomach knocked the wind out of Hans. The thirteenth prince collapsed against the wall, breathing heavily.

"You can be the king of the dungeons. That's where rapists belong." As Kristoff headed for the door, he stomped viciously on Hans' left hand, which was dangling loosely on the side. The ensuing howl of agony and a loud crunch confirmed that he had broken at least three fingers. The ice harvester trudged up the staircase, breathing heavily, heading back to the castle library to meet with the royal sisters. "Let's go get the antidote now."

* * *

><p>The cool breeze blew refreshingly through Elsa's hair as they rode through the stillness of the night. Her mind wandered back to the first time she and Anna had journeyed to meet the trolls. She had been a terrified, guilt-ridden child. With one errant flick of a finger, the icy magic had brought so much joy and beauty to their young lives had reverted into a monstrous force of destruction and division. The little blonde girl arrived at the Valley of the Living Rock thinking she had forever lost her precious baby sister. Then she departed <em>knowing<em> that she had.

But this visit would be different. This time, they would walk away victorious. Sixteen years ago, Grand Pabbie had cured Anna from an icy curse unwittingly unleashed. Today, he would cure Arendelle from the curse of hatred and selfishness that had been very purposefully inflicted.

"Kristoff's home!" A cacophony of loud, boisterous voices interrupted Elsa's musings. The wet, mossy ground trembled as a number of round boulders rolled down a grassy slope and revealed themselves to be living entities. Kristoff stumbled as three baby trolls launched themselves at him, squealing with delight.

A larger stone rolled through, parting the crowd and interrupting the reunion. "I sense tension and somberness in the atmosphere." The ancient troll bowed at Elsa. "What brings you to our humble abode, Your Majesty?"

Elsa knelt down. "Grand Pabbie, do you know anything about a certain poison called Apollyon's Elixir?"

Grand Pabbie froze. "Where did you learn of such a dastardly concoction?"

Anna cut in and began rambling at the speed of light. "Because of Hans! He showed up in Arendelle a few days ago and poisoned a bunch of people, and then everyone got super sick and started puking blood and attempting suicide, but no one died. Then Hans said that he'll hand over the antidote only if Elsa marries him, because he wants to be King of Arendelle. But Elsa doesn't want to marry him because he's a huge asshole and he would be the worst king ever, so she tried to find other ways of finding the antidote. Wait, if Hans marries Elsa, would he be King or Prince Consort? Elsa doesn't need a man, but that's not the point. Um, anyways, then Elsa found out that the poison was something called Apollyon's Elixir because all she ever does is read boring books in the castle library. Yeah, Elsa is kind of a stinker. Then she read even more boring books and found out how to cure it, so we came here asking if you could, you know, help us find the…"

Elsa decided to offer a more understandable explanation of what was going on. "Prince Hans of the Southern Isles came back for revenge. He sneaked into the Harvest Festival disguised as a performer last week, and put poison in a bunch of drinks. Seven hundred people were affected. Hans said he would hand over the antidote only if I marry him, making him the King of Arendelle." She paused to allow Grand Pabbie to process the information.

The troll motioned for her to continue. "How did you find out which poison he used?"

"The victims suffered some very unique and peculiar symptoms. Especially the fact that they were physically incapable of dying. That triggered a distant memory, and I knew I had read about that somewhere before. I looked through all of the library's books on alchemy, and found that the descriptions for Apollyon's Elixir matches all the symptoms observed in the people poisoned. I'm positive that this is what Hans used."

A scrap of paper fluttered to the ground. "What's this?"

Elsa retrieved the book. "Those are the ingredients to the antidote." She flipped through the sheets of yellowed parchment.

Grand Pabbie took the book carefully into his stubby gray hands. His eyes darted back and forth for several minutes between the massive volume of Latin text, and the translated list of abbreviated common names. Finally, he looked up with a warm smile across his rocky features, but a slight trace of melancholy in his eyes.

"You are correct, my child. These plants and herbs and gemstones will indeed cure the poison when blended in the correct proportions."

Elsa's heart fluttered. "Kristoff says that these can all be found in the North Mountains. Grand Pabbie, can you help us prepare the antidote?"

The troll's demeanor became somber and grim. There was terrible sadness in his eyes. "I can have the antidote prepared in a matter of minutes, but it will come at a terrible cost. There is one ingredient that the book forgot to mention."

"What do you mean?"

Grand Pabbie sighed in resignation. "My child, I don't think you fathom the depths of evil and malice contained in the very essence of this concoction. It takes more than alchemy and the mixing of ingredients to brew such a mixture. It takes a heart so utterly devoid of any human compassion, in order to summon such a vile thing into existence. A heart as cold and ruthless as that of Prince Hans. You could be the greatest alchemist to ever grace the annals of human history, but unless you are emotionally and spiritually capable of such evil, throwing ingredients into a caldron will not yield enough poison to kill a rat."

"How do you think Hans got the poison?"

Grand Pabbie rubbed his temple. "I cannot say for sure. But when you have a man as wicked as Hans, the venom contained in just a tiny fragment of his soul would suffice to kill seven hundred people. I surmise that he must have made a deal with some sort of demon. He most likely sold a piece of his soul to generate the poison."

Elsa cringed slightly at the thought. What kind of man was she dealing with? How could he have so little regard for human life, both his own and those of others, that he would consent to such a thing? "What is the missing ingredient?"

Tears welled up in his solemn, knowing eyes, and rolled down his stony cheeks. "My child, are you absolutely sure you must have this antidote?" Elsa nodded mutely. She had come too far to turn back.

Grand Pabbie reached out and took Elsa's pale, delicate hand in his own. His voice was barely a whisper. "The antidote requires something that only you can give. The heart of an ice-bearer. Willingly surrendered without question, without reluctance, without expectation of reward." The troll's face crumpled with grief. "Your heart, Elsa."

**I hope you liked this Chapter 14 better than the one that got published!  
><strong>


	3. Alternate Chapter 16

**Here is the alternate version of Chapter 16! **

**WARNING:**** Lots and lots and lots of graphic violence! **

Captain Yorick sniggered maliciously as he tightened his hold. His left hand had both of her wrists locked in a strangulatory grip, and he slowly raised his right hand to stroke her chin. Elsa winced as his filthy fingernails scratched her soft skin. She struggled wildly to free her hands, but he was far too strong. "Let me go!"

The vengeful brute flashed a chilling smile, revealing row after row of overcrowded and yellowing teeth. "Is that an _order_, my queen?" He stepped closer and wrapped his fingers around her throat. "Why don't you make me?"

Her eyes drifted south and caught sight of the dagger sheathed in his belt. Elsa stopped squirming at once. _He will not hesitate to use it. He's at least ten times stronger than me. I'll have to outsmart him somehow. _She hated feeling so helpless, but couldn't subdue the fearful tremor in her voice or the frantic palpitations of her heart. "What do you want? Why are you doing this?"

Captain Yorick leaned over until his nose was touching Elsa's. She grimaced and held her breath. The man reeked of alcohol, tobacco, and a month's accumulation of sweat and grime. He blew hot, foul-smelling air into her face as he spoke. "You humiliated me in front of my men!" he spat viciously. "I worked for years to get my rank. You think I'm going down just like that?

His bloodshot eyes danced lecherously over her body. "Tonight I'll teach you a lesson you'll never forget. Nobody fucks with Tom Yorick! Not even the tyrant witch of Arendelle!"

Elsa saw her chance. As her captor was thoroughly consumed by his savage fantasies, she felt his grip slacken. She managed to wriggle a few fingers out of his grasp, and hit him with a quick spurt of ice. A patch of frostbite slowly spread across his forearm. Elsa thrashed her arms about, but still could not break loose.

"You little bitch!" Captain Yorick roared as he furiously massaged the injured skin. He seethed with rage. "Remind me to leave your face unharmed for later. But the rest of you won't be so lucky." He clenched his fingers and delivered a swift, jerky motion that effortlessly snapped both of her wrists.

Elsa couldn't contain the agonized scream that shredded her throat and reverberated throughout the chambers, leaving thin cracks in the ice that coated all four walls. With a nauseating crunch, the bones and ligaments splintered like toothpicks. Huge, shuddering spasms of pain shot up the tattered tissue of her median nerve, and exploded violently in her brain in pulsating waves of agony. Tears cascaded down her cheeks, freezing solid as they fell. Finally, she collapsed to the floor in a quivering mess.

Captain Yorick sat on the bed and watched with his arms folded and his face twisted in a cruel smirk. Temper and testosterone surged through his veins. He moaned with sadistic pleasure as the witch sobbed pitifully and cradled her broken body. "If only your loyal subjects could see you now," he taunted. "By the time I'm done, you'll wish you had sentenced me to death while you had the chance."

He reached down and grabbed the collar of her dress, then tossed her onto the bed like a sack of potatoes. "Come on Frosty, aren't you gonna use your witchy powers to stop me?" The savage brute unsheathed his dagger and swung it through the air in a flamboyant arc. "Now let's have some fun."

_No!_ she screamed in silent desperation. _Please, this can't be happening again!_ With the assault from Hans fresh in her memory, Elsa willed her icy magic to work. Anything to fend off this monster of a man. But as a stream of magic flowed from her fingertips, a sharp burst of pain sprung up from deep within the shattered bones of her wrist, jarring her entire body. Her face contorted and she quickly retracted the ice. It was hopeless. She could not conjure a single snowflake without aggravating the injury.

Captain Yorick advanced on her with dagger in hand. Elsa's hopes of surviving this debacle rapidly diminished. Terror gripped her heart as she considered the ramifications of her death. _Please God,_ she prayed silently. _Please don't let me die tonight. Hans cannot be left in charge of Arendelle. He will be so cruel to Anna, to Kristoff, to our people. And if he doesn't have the antidote… _

A cold, metallic object brushed against her chin. Elsa opened her eyes and gasped as she found herself staring down the length of a dagger.

"Five years of shoveling the stables? I don't think so." He twirled the dagger. "You scream, you die. Understand?" He reached down and tore her clothes away, until she was completely bare. Tears of shame burned her cheeks. Elsa desperately grabbed a pillow case and tried to cover her exposed flesh. Captain Yorick smirked and ripped it from her hands. He slowly began to unbuckle his belt, drooling ravenously at the goddess he had unearthed.

"You're a very pretty girl," he rasped. "But believe me; you won't be once I'm done with you."

"Please… no." Elsa curled into a ball, trying to shield her body from his cruel gaze.

The maniac laughed evilly at her pleas. "I'm not there yet, my queen. I always save the best for last. I'm just getting started." Without another word, he flipped her over and began to swing the belt as hard as he could. Elsa clenched her teeth, refusing to give him any satisfaction. But she started tearing up at three strokes, and was screaming uncontrollably at five. Lash after lash tore through the milky white skin of her back, until blood streamed from the lacerated flesh.

"How tough are you now, mighty Snow Queen?" Captain Yorick was thoroughly enjoying himself. "Go on, tell me to go clean the stables! _Order_ me!" A brilliant idea crossed his mind. He turned the belt over and began whipping her with the steel buckle instead. Her screams intensified dramatically. The bloodcurdling cries of his helpless victim only fueled his sadism and lust. He swung even harder. The heavy knot of steel pounded away mercilessly, slashing open huge gaping wounds and cutting straight to the bone.

Elsa tried again to blast him with a stream of ice, but both hands were paralyzed with pain. There was nothing she could do. She couldn't lift a finger. More blood cascaded down, enough to fill a bottle of wine, soaking through the blankets and sheets. In defeat and surrender, she fell back on the bed and let the tears flow.

A loud crack and a sudden hiatus of the pain brought her back to her senses. The belt had mercifully snapped in two. Captain Yorick paused to stare at the leathery stump in his fist, deliberating his next move. For a few magical moments, her body was pain-free. This could be her only chance at surviving the night. Elsa rolled off the bed and weakly stumbled towards the door. But her feeble attempt at escape would soon prove to be a terrible blunder, as it only further enraged her aggressor. She had barely taken two wobbly steps, before a heavy hand grabbed her around the waist and flung her onto the ground.

"Going somewhere, witch?" Her bare foot was instantly crushed under a steel-heeled boot, and the three hundred pounds of pure muscle that stood above it. The delicate arches of bone shattered like glass, and sliced through the soft tissue in their vicinity. But all her tears had been shed and she had no strength left to scream. Elsa merely collapsed to the floor, her chest heaving with dry sobs. She couldn't take any more pain. Her vision was blurring, as her mind slowly began slipping into a hazy oblivion. _This must be how it feels to die,_ she thought grimly. Melancholic tears began welling in her eyes. _I'm sorry, Papa. I'm sorry I couldn't hold on any longer. I tried. I tried to be a good girl. _Her mind barely registered Captain Yorick dragging her back onto the bed, lighting a cigarette. His loud, brash voice sounded nebulously in the distance, saying something about burning a massive letter 'W' on her stomach. W for witch, W for whore. _Anna, Kristoff… I will always love you. _

* * *

><p>The minutes ticked by, but death never came. Elsa opened her weary eyes and was surprised to find that Captain Yorick was no longer hovering over her. In fact, he was nowhere to be seen. She jumped at the sudden eruption of a male voice roaring in agony.<p>

Hans had ripped the dagger out of Captain Yorick's idle hand, and slashed it across the man's back. "You have just seen your last sunset!" Eyes blazing with fury and indignation, Hans withdrew the blade and thrust at his right shoulder. The enraged captain bellowed like a wounded bear, and took a vicious swipe at Hans' face. He was much larger and stronger than the new King of Arendelle. But in his incapacitated state, he was powerless to escape the furious onslaught of Hans' fists.

Captain Yorick lay sprawled on the floor, panting heavily. Both eyes were blackened and his nose was crooked and broken. Blood seeped from the wounds inflicted by the dagger.

Hans stepped back and delivered a good, hard kick to Captain Yorick's ribcage before sitting next to Elsa on the bed. Upon noticing her state of undress, he quickly averted his eyes and threw a sheet over her naked form. Blood soaked through the white cloth. "I'm sorry. This is my fault. I shouldn't have said those things at the wedding. I should've been here earlier." He gently wiped the tears that streamed down her cheeks. For the first time since he had arrived in Arendelle, Elsa detected a trace of sincerity in his voice. Genuine sympathy glistened in his hazel eyes. In desperate need of consolation, she momentarily forgot all the fear and hatred she felt towards Hans, and let him comfort her.

The murderous glint in Hans' eyes receded slightly, and his flushed cheeks slowly regained their original complexion. "Are you okay?" Elsa shook her head as a fresh wave of tears sprung from her cerulean orbs. Hans patted her soothingly on the hand, but suddenly pulled back at the loud hiss of pain she emitted. His eyes widened in horror as he beheld the pale, delicate little hand that hung lifelessly at an awkward angle. The surrounding skin was horribly discolored with bruises and ruptured blood vessels. A quick glance downwards revealed that her left foot had suffered the same fate.

Hans ground his teeth in rage. "Guards!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs.

Elsa tried to grab his arm. "Please, I don't want anyone to know." Her cheeks flushed with shame as she wrapped the bedsheet tighter around her body.

It was too late. Three guards burst into the room. "You summoned us?" Their jaws dropped at the sight of Arendelle's beloved queen; bloody, bruised, and broken-boned. "Your Majesty, what on earth—

Hans pointed furiously at Captain Yorick's prostrate form. "We have this scoundrel to blame. Take him to the dungeons at once. Gouge out his eyes, rip out his nails, cut off his hands, skin him alive, and leave his body out to rot where all of Arendelle can see."

A raspy cough had everyone turning their heads. Captain Yorick stirred and his eyelids fluttered open. He looked Hans straight in the eye with a derisive grin. "Excuse me? You should thank me for giving your little witch a good time. Damn, I pounded that ass so hard. You should've heard her scream."

One of the guards curled his leg back and delivered a vicious kick across Captain Yorick's face. "You son of a bitch! I ought to cut that tongue out of your mouth right here and now!"

The unrepentant sociopath spat blood from his mouth and forced another smirk. "Admit it wuss, you're just jealous that I got to fuck the Snow Queen."

Hans had heard enough. Before anyone could react, he sprung to his feet and lunged forward with the dagger clutched tightly in his fist.

Elsa quickly spoke up. "He didn't do it. He's bluffing." But Hans ignored her. With heart pounding and adrenaline flowing and a blur of color flashing before his bloodshot eyes, the King of Arendelle plunged the dagger up to the hilt into Captain Yorick's stomach and gave it a vigorous twist. A loud, gurgling noise filled the room as he clutched his throat and gasped for air. Finally, all was silent. Captain Yorick drew his last breath and fulfilled his appointment with eternity.

As the guards stood to remove the body from the room, Hans turned back to Elsa and patted her soothingly on the shoulder. "You've been through a lot tonight. I'll ask the servants to run you a hot bath. It'll make you feel better." He slowly pulled the white glove off of his right hand and stroked her tearstained cheek. "The scoundrel is burning in hell, where he belongs. He will never hurt you again."

* * *

><p>Elsa sat comfortably on the library sofa, wrapped in a warm fluffy blanket and sipping a glass of water. Her lacerated skin itched and stung horribly beneath the bandages, and both hands were still terribly sore and stiff. With her broken foot tightly bound in a splint and wrapped in her own ice, it would take months before she could walk again. But she felt much better.<p>

She didn't want anyone to know what happened that night. But it hadn't been easy to divert the attention and curiosity of those who had seen her in the immediate minutes and hours following the attack from Captain Yorick. The guards who had witnessed the aftermath gave her sad smiles and bowed contritely as she passed them in the halls. She blinked back tears and gave them a polite little nod, indicating that she did not blame them in the slightest. When Kai and Gerda helped bathe her, they nearly fainted in horror. With tears of sympathy and heartbreak glistening in their eyes, they lovingly inquired about the many cuts and bruises and fractures. "Please, don't ask," Elsa had responded in a tearful whisper. They both knew not to inquire further, and took care to be extra gentle when tending to her wounds and helping her get dressed.

She wasn't even ready to disclose the truth to Anna and Kristoff. When they asked, she explained her emotional state with a deceptive and horribly euphemistic, "I'm just a little overwhelmed." They both nodded in understanding before heading off to sleep. She would tell them the next morning.

The only person who knew the truth was Hans. He sat by her side, eyeing her with concern but making sure to give her enough space. Finally, Elsa broke the silence.

"Hans?"

The thirteenth prince responded emotionlessly. "What do you want?"

Elsa took a deep breath and hesitated. She was loathe to speak a word of gratitude to him. He was every bit the cruel, sadistic sociopath that Captain Yorick was. Just two days ago, he had taken great pleasure in inflicting no less pain on her. But she did owe him her life. Elsa swallowed her pride. "Thank you for coming to my rescue."

Hans sighed. "I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. He would've raped you if he had more time."

Was Hans really that tactlessly insensitive? Elsa felt her anger flare at the irony and hypocrisy of his comment. "That doesn't make him any different from you, does it?"

Hans sat down and took her into his arms, careful to avoid aggravating her injuries. Elsa pushed him away as best she could. "No! Don't touch me!" She wiped a fresh tear and tried to silence the crackle in her voice. The memory still pained her, and in the wake of Hans' attack, she had yet to enjoy one peaceful, uninterrupted hour of sleep.

An unfamiliar twinge of sympathy stirred in the cold, uncaring heart of the thirteenth prince. There was so much fear and hurt in her eyes. He looked into her face and saw himself. A helpless, heartbroken six year-old boy crying himself to sleep. Hans wished he could turn back the clock and stop himself from committing the unthinkable. How could he have been so cruel? How could he muster up the audacity to inflict soul-shattering pain on someone so sweet and kind and beautiful? "Elsa, I'm sorry."

Tears poured down her cheeks as she backed away. "No, you're not! Take one more step, and I'll freeze your heart!" In her incapacitated state, she was utterly powerless to follow through on that threat. But she couldn't let Hans see just how vulnerable and terrified she felt. It would only embolden him further. He could very well attack her again.

"Elsa, please sit down before you hurt yourself any further." She wobbled precariously on her one healthy foot, before crashing to the floor. Hans hesitated before kneeling by her side. "Here, let me help you up." He picked her up and laid her gently back on the couch.

The blonde was completely hysterical. "Stop it! Don't touch me! I hate you!" Elsa slammed her heel into his crotch, causing Hans to drop to his knees and vomit blood all over the floor. He clutched at his damaged goods and rolled around on the carpet, wincing in agony for several minutes. Sweat trickled down his flushed cheeks. But he made no move to retaliate, and there was no anger or resentment in his eyes. Instead, he spoke to affirm her feelings.

"I know you hate me, and you're completely right to feel that way. I should be castrated."

Elsa hugged her knees tightly to her chest. "Yes you do. I should've had you put to death three years ago," she mumbled. More tears were leaking down the sides of her face. "I had mercy on you, and this is how you repay me. I should've had you beheaded while I still had the chance. You and Captain Yorick."

"It's what I deserve. That's the first thing you should do after getting the antidote," His self-loathing was completely genuine, but Hans felt his stomach churn at the irony that permeated the latter half of his comment. "But Elsa, that isn't who you are. You would never hurt anyone."

Elsa turned her face away, unable to meet his gaze. "Maybe I should make an exception for you." Her anger then gave way to grief. A violent sob shook her entire body, and the tears flowed like an icy river. She hugged herself even tighter. "How could you hurt me like that? Don't you have a mother or sister?"

Hans sighed and leaned back onto the couch. "How do you think I was conceived?"

Elsa had no desire to listen to anything he had to say, or indulge him another minute of her attention. It sickened her that the tone and rhetoric of his comment implied an attitude of self-victimization. But she couldn't restrain her curiosity. Hans continued speaking. "My father was a very violent man. He would always beat and rape my mother after having too much to drink. In fact, I was conceived on one of those nights." His hands shook with rage as he blinked back tears.

Was he seriously trying to deflect responsibility? Elsa felt her anger rising again. "You can't blame your father for what you did. It was your choice. You saw it happen to your own mother. You know how much it hurts! This kind of thing destroys people! How could you keep doing it?"

Hans laid a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "Not a moment goes by where I don't regret what I did. I hate myself for doing such a terrible thing to you." He paused and sighed. "I've seen it happen before many times. My father did it to my mother, and my brothers did it to the female castle staff. It is the most disgusting and abusive thing that one person can do to another. It scarred me deeply. Sometimes I think that's where I got my perverted sense of humor. Perhaps I try to trivialize those memories, by joking about it and acting like it's no big deal."

"Elsa, you have such a kind and loving heart. It never ceases to amaze me. I understand now why Arendelle is the way it is."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Hans sighed. "When I first arrived in Arendelle a few weeks ago, I was full of jealousy and bitterness at what I saw. Everyone was so happy and pleasant. The people have such wonderful lives here. It was something I had never seen before. It wasn't fair. If I couldn't be happy, I didn't want anyone to be."

Tears of rage began to well up in Hans' eyes. Elsa could never have imagined this cruel, cold, sociopathic man betraying any sign of human weakness. Was this the same man who had laughed with cold indifference as he ripped apart her body and soul just two days ago? Hans slammed his cup down on the table, and continued in a fast and furious tone. "My father was the worst tyrant you'd ever seen. Still is. My brothers were even worse. If I had a copper coin for every time they beat me bloody in a drunken rage, every time someone told me how worthless I was, the royal treasury would run dry."

"My father threw me down flights of stairs, beat me with a bullwhip, starved me for days, forced me to watch as he tortured people in prison. He said it was to toughen me up. The only person who ever treated me with any decency was my mother. She loved me very much, even though I was conceived in violence. But she died when I was seven years old. The stable boy was also kind to me. He was more of a brother to me than any of my real brothers. We established a bond, a sense of partnership and solidarity that people form when suffering through oppression together. But my oldest brother had him beheaded when he forgot to polish his saddle one morning. That left me with no one."

The tears began to fall. "I lay awake every night, dreaming about how different life could be. Wishing that there was something I could do, somewhere I could go. Someone who could give me the love and respect that I wanted so badly."

With a quivering sigh, Hans concluded his monologue. "It drove me crazy with jealousy and resentment when I saw how different things in Arendelle were, from the way they were back at home. I was so envious when I saw how happy everyone was. How much the people loved you. I wanted what you had. But over the past few days, I started to understand that things weren't as unfair or arbitrary as I thought. The people love you because you loved them first."

Elsa was trying her best not to listen or be affected. How could Hans try to portray himself as a helpless victim of circumstance, after all the evil deeds he had very deliberately perpetrated? Anna, Kristoff, and herself all had rough childhoods. But none of them ever felt compelled to inflict misery on others. She felt nothing but fear and hatred towards the disgusting man who had injured her so grievously. But his story was compelling nonetheless. In past dealings with the Southern Isles, she had always known that King Vladimir was a tyrant. But she was floored at the sight of the prideful man sitting beside her breaking down into tears at the memory of his childhood. Beneath the ruthless and impenetrable façade that Hans put on, there was an insecure and confused child who was desperate for affirmation. A lost soul whose values had been disturbingly warped and distorted by his personal experiences. Didn't God command rulers to love their subjects as parents loved their children? As Christ loved the church? What kind of person was she dealing with?

Hans interrupted her ruminations with a tearful, tremulous voice. "I'm so sorry for what I did. Please understand that I would give anything to take back that night." His sobs intensified, and he looked into her eyes with complete sincerity. "Elsa, I swear on my mother's grave that I will never hurt you again."

She pushed him away. "I don't think I can ever forgive you. I hope I can someday, but it won't be anytime soon. Because of what you did, I can't sleep at night." There was a distinct crackle in her voice, and the tears flowed freely. "If you really are sorry, then prove it. Start by handing over the antidote tomorrow morning. You do have it with you, right?"

Hans flinched and ran a finger nervously through his hair. "Yes, of course."

**Hans, you deserve to have your dick cut off. **


	4. Alternate Chapter 19

**This isn't actually an alternate chapter, but a fake one. Recall that Chapter 18 ended on a huge cliffhanger, with Elsa preparing to sacrifice herself for the antidote. I always planned for her to survive, but I did briefly consider posting this ****Fake Chapter 19**** to let everyone believe that she died. Then write a big fat JUST KIDDING at the bottom of the chapter. **

**But then I decided against it, because I didn't want people breaking down my door and killing me in my sleep. **

Elsa felt the cold obsidian blade pressing gently into her skin, leaving a thin strip of blood just below her left breast. She lay motionlessly on the altar in complete submission and surrender. Eyes closed, mind racing, tears flowing, heart willing. _This is it. This is the end._ Any moment, the knife would viciously descend through flesh and bone, and end her life on earth. Never again would she hear Anna's cheerful voice fill the castle with music and singing, or hear those bouncy footsteps race down the halls and crash into the nearest suit of armor. Never again would she see those bright turquoise eyes glisten with wonder and affection. This time, no amount of love or persistence could bring them back together. She would never see Anna again in this life.

"Wait!" At her sudden outburst, the troll pulled back at once.

"Your Majesty, would you like to change your mind?" He sounded very relieved.

"Just call me Elsa." Fresh tears were welling in her eyes, as she shook her head to decline his offer to spare her life. "I have to do this. The antidote must be made. But please let me leave one final gift for my sister."

Hans watched as Elsa climbed shakily to her feet and walked over around the bubbling cauldron. She knelt down and fumbled about for several minutes. Finally, she rose to her feet, trembling and weeping even more bitterly than before. Grand Pabbie caught her just as her knees buckled, and helped steady her stumbling footsteps as she made her way over to Hans.

Avoiding all eye contact, she held out one arm and handed him a small bundle wrapped in thick, coarse cloth. "Give this to Anna for me." Hans reached out to grab her arm and fell to his knees. He opened his mouth to utter an incredibly effusive and pedantic apology for the brutal assault he perpetuated two days ago. But Elsa seemed to have read his mind. Her eyes flashed with anger and indignation behind the tears as she spoke, fast and furious, to render his words unnecessary.

"Hans, save it. I know what you're going to say. And I believe you. I believe that you are sorry. But that doesn't change anything at this point." It was very atypical and uncharacteristic for the Snow Queen to be open about her emotions. But she was minutes away from death, and saw no reason to hold back. There was no better time to pour out her heart, lay bare her vulnerabilities, and give Hans with a stinging indictment of his crimes. The tears flowed freely and a series of violent sobs shook her entire body. "You took something precious from me that I can never have back. You've made me a whore in the public eye. You've made me completely unmarriageable. The doctor even said that I can never have children because of the internal damage done. All the_ sorry's_ in the world can't take back what you did. Hans, please stop apologizing. Do you have any idea how tactless and irritating your apologies sound? I wish I could forgive you, but I simply can't." Without another word or gesture, she turned and followed Grand Pabbie like a lamb to the slaughter.

"My child, are you absolutely sure you want to do this? What compels you so strongly to pay this debt that you do not owe? The Great Freeze was three years ago, and produced no lasting damage. You have no reason to feel guilty or apologetic about it today. You don't have to spend the rest of your life making up for that. No one can hold it against you."

Elsa shook her head as she lay back down. "It has nothing to do with the Great Freeze," she whispered. "I love my people too much to see them suffer like this. Especially the children… they are the heart and soul of Arendelle."

She unfastened the front of her dress and beckoned the troll forward. "I'm ready."

There was nothing left to be said. She had sorted out her final thoughts, banished every final vestige of ambivalence and reluctance, and would protect and serve Arendelle with her dying breath. Elsa closed her eyes and whispered a final prayer.

The troll steadied his grip. In a swift, powerful motion, he plunged his knife up to the hilt into her chest. The cold obsidian edge obliterated every tendon, nerve, vein and muscle in its path, splitting the bone apart drawing forth rivers of blood. Elsa let out a bloodcurdling scream that reverberated violently throughout the forest clearing. A massive explosion of ice sent everyone scurrying for cover. Hans was inches away from being impaled, but did not notice or care, as he screamed her name and struggled ferociously against the trolls holding him back. His arms nearly popped out of their sockets as he thrashed about viciously, trying to get to Elsa. He wanted to be by her side. To hold her hand and comfort her in these final moments. To look into those beautiful blue eyes one last time and replenish his soul. To let her know how sorry he was.

The echoes finally subsided. With tears pouring down his cheeks, Grand Pabbie slowly removed Elsa's lifeless body from the altar. Her eyes were half-open and dulled in death. A massive gaping hole sat in the middle of her chest, where a living, feeling heart had resided just moments ago. Blood continued to trickle down from the mangled flesh, enough to fill several bottles of wine.

A loud, retching sound had everyone turning their heads. Hans' chest heaved as he vomited onto the mossy ground. Beads of cold sweat covered his pallid face.

Finally, the antidote was complete. Grand Pabbie passed Hans a large bottle made of animal hide. The job was done.

"One spoonful per person ought to suffice. Full recovery may require up to an hour. I recommend you leave at dawn. The forest is crawling with wolves at this hour. You deserve to be torn apart limb by limb, but it's essential that you stay alive until the antidote is delivered."

Hans clambered limply to his feet. "Please, let me bring Elsa back to Arendelle. Give her the closure she deserves." He hugged her lifeless body close to his chest and wept.

"Get your hands off of her! Does your depravity know no bounds? Are you so morally bankrupt, you honestly believe she deserves to be buried by the man who raped and killed her?"

Grand Pabbie grabbed Hans by the shoulder and glared into his eyes. "Young man, you may not have a single ounce of that cursed elixir running through your veins, but you still possess by far the most foul and poisoned soul in all of Arendelle. Tonight you have committed an unpardonable crime. Because of your actions, a family and a kingdom have been broken beyond repair tonight. I wish it had been your heart that had gone into the antidote. But your heart is so filthy and wicked, it would only amplify the poison. If there is any sincerity in all the effusive, pathetic, and utterly useless apologies we've had the misfortune of listening to tonight, then you will do the right thing. Protect this antidote with your life and make sure you are punished to the fullest extent of the law."

* * *

><p><em>The next day<em>

Arendelle was truly a land of miracles. Once again, a heart of selfless courage and sacrifice had prevailed over the wretchedness that was a tragic but inevitable part of life. Once again, lived were saved and families were restored. Broken souls and wounded hearts had been wondrously healed by an act of true love. The castle was no longer filled with anguished cries, but with the din of celebration.

Gone were the hideous paroxysms that would flare up every four hours, taunting the victims with its impeccable predictability yet offering zero chance of escape. Gone were the hellish manifestations of the Afterlife that haunted people in the comatose periods between successive flare-ups, denying them a moment of rest. Gone were the seizures, the involuntary self-mutilation, and the ignominious loss of control over bodily functions. Every man, woman, and child made a full recovery; reclaiming their dignity and the intact bodies and souls that had been so cruelly stolen. As the healing tide washed away the final residues of that wicked poison, people stirred in their beds and found the strength to sit up straight. Their jaws dropped in shock as they beheld themselves restored to completion and wholeness. They gawked at mirrors and incredulously fingered the unblemished skin that had been marred beyond recognition with hideous wounds just minutes ago.

Then the noise of the celebrations began. People leap out of their beds in ecstasy, pulling random strangers into hugs and dancing wildly. Tears of mirth and unintelligible shrieks of laughter gushed uncontrollably as they celebrated their miraculous recoveries. Men chained together were brothers. Together they had plunged into the deepest abyss of despair, and together they emerged as victors over insurmountable odds.

The kingdom celebrated in drunken revelry. In their intoxicated stupor, no one was ready to learn of the terrible perfidy that had nearly claimed their lives, and of the great love that ransomed them. No seemed to have realized that a very important someone was missing from the festivities. No one seemed to notice an empty throne, or the sudden surplus of chocolate in the kitchens.

Except for one person.

Anna danced down the hallway and gave her signature knock on the door. "Elsa, let's go build a snowman!" No reply.

"Elsa, get your ass out here right now!" No reply.

"Hey stinker, you have ten seconds, before I throw away your secret stash of chocolates!" No reply. Anna gave a loud sigh of frustration and turned around to go look for her sister.

Anna searched room after room, but there was no sign of Elsa anywhere. Finally, she kicked open the door to the library. "You better not be doing some lame paperwork when you should be out partying with the rest of the town."

A man cleared his throat behind her. A guard in uniform stood in the doorway. His face was stoic and unreadable, as he handed her a small package. "Milady, King Hans asked me to deliver this to you." The guard bowed and dismissed himself.

Anna frowned in confusion. _What on earth could Hans give to me?_ She would deal with him later. She impatiently tugged at the strings and let the wrappings fall away to expose the contents of the package. Her jaw dropped in horror.

Sitting in the bundle of coarse, dirty cloth was Elsa's crown. Attached to it was a note. The crinkled parchment was stained with tears, and the penmanship was shaky and uneven:

_Anna, it's yours now. Take good care of it for me. Love, Elsa._

**JUST KIDDING! That was a fake chapter. I'm not letting Elsa die just like that. *insert the real Chapter 19*. **


	5. Alternate Chapter 21

**Sorry I haven't updated this "story" in a while! I will be starting another Revenge of Hans fic once I'm done with Brotherly Love, and that new story will have quite a bit of overlap with the "What Would Have Happened" series. So I planned to abandon this series. But at popular request, here is Alternate Ch 21!  
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**A brief recap of what's happened before to lead to the current situation:**

**- Elsa and Hans have left the trolls, and are on their way to have the antidote (made with 2 liters of Elsa's blood) delivered. **

**- They are attacked by wolves in the forest, and barely escape.**

**- Elsa is bucked by her horse and thrown into a ravine, suffering some severe injuries. **

**- She insists that Hans go back without her. He refuses, until she uses her final blast of magic to create an icy horse to carry him back to Arendelle. Then she blacks out. Her injuries render her powerless for the next 3 days. **

**- Hans is arrested the moment he returns, and the antidote is trashed. **

**Anyways, here is the alternate version of Chapter 21, in which Elsa almost loses her will to go on. **

Elsa dragged her weary body out of her temporary dwelling at a painfully slow and laborious pace. A stream of golden light from the rising sun drew her out of slumber. She had spent the past few days holed up in a small, shallow cave in the wall of the ravine; scraping by on water from a nearby stream and the occasional nuts and berries that grew on some bushes. But the physical discomfort had been the least of her concerns. She had several close calls with wolves prowling the area in search of food, retreating into the deepest corners of the grotto and desperately attempting to stay out of sight.

The Snow Queen was also quite surprised and disconcerted that no one had come looking for her. Surely the kingdom would've noticed by now that she was missing. What was going on? Did anyone besides Hans have any clue where she was?

Her mind wandered to Hans. Did he have the antidote successfully delivered? Had she been too naïve to entrust him with such a critical task? Did she have a choice?

There was too much missing information, and too many unanswered questions for her peace of mind. She had to find out what was going on. With great determination, Elsa rose to her feet, but instantly crumpled to the ground in pain.

Curse that broken ankle! She could barely move with all her injuries. It could take months before she could even walk again! Without her icy magic, there was no way to reduce the swelling. Her many cuts and bruises would soon become infected as well. Fortunately, the third day had dawned, and her powers had begun to revive. But they were still far too weak to conjure a horse or carriage to transport her back to Arendelle.

Furthermore, Grand Pabbie had warned that attempting to use any magic before her powers had fully returned could prove fatal. Elsa couldn't believe her rotten luck.

A soft pattering of hooves and a familiar neighing sound caught her attention. A streak of semitransparent sky blue flashed across the corner of her eye, and slowly came into full view. Her hopes soared as she slowly made sense of the strange but wonderful apparition.

It was the icy horse that she made to bring Hans back to Arendelle. The trusty steed had returned to its creator. Elsa smiled gratefully in spite of her pain, and slowly clambered onto its back. Very soon, she would see her family again, and if Hans' repentance had been even half as sincere as it appeared to be, the castle would no longer be filled with anguished cries and incapacitated bodies. Perhaps this ugly debacle would finally have a happy ending.

But as she neared Arendelle's northern border, her heart sank at a dreadful sight. The ambient temperature plummeted and a web of ice spread across the ground. Elsa shook her head in disbelief and horror, and blinked several times. But her eyes had not deceived her.

There, lying forsaken in a ditch near the main road, was the product of all her toil and sacrifice. The empty bottle lay forlornly on the ground, its contents soaked into the earth, powerless to work its wondrous magic. Elsa involuntarily clenched her fists and uttered a string of curses that a royal woman should not know. The idiot had failed! She had done all the dirty work, nearly lost her life, and Hans had somehow managed to screw everything up. Her face reddened and heat radiated from her trembling body. How could Hans botch up such a simple task? The bastard would pay for his incompetence and carelessness. She wanted to blacken his eyes and knock out those pearly white teeth, and disfigure that handsome face beyond recognition. A few weeks without food in an icy dungeon, trapped in knee-deep manure, wouldn't hurt either. Devilish fantasies of freezing certain parts of his anatomy flickered through her mind.

A large number of footprints and skid marks in the surrounding dirt indicated that a struggle had occurred. Had Hans been attacked? Perhaps he had failed through no fault of his own. But how did the horse escape unscathed? The speculations were endless, but finding out what happened was her lowest priority. Right now, all that mattered was that the antidote had not been delivered; the events leading up to it being lost were of minimal importance. She would deal with Hans later. She glanced up at the sun. The day was still young. Elsa mentally commanded her steed to turn on its heels and race back into the forest.

* * *

><p>"Grand Pabbie!" she cried out between frantic breaths, as the horse slid into the trolls' lair. "I seek your assistance once more."<p>

The troll shaman approached her inquisitively. "My child, I am always happy to serve the royal family in whatever they may need. But what brings you back to our humble abode? The antidote is foolproof. Surely there can't have been any complications?"

Elsa got straight to the point. "Hans lost the antidote. I have no idea how it happened, but I found the bottle spilled all over the ground."

Grand Pabbie's eyes burned with anger and indignation. "The idiot!" he spat viciously. The earth trembled at his fury. "How could he be so careless with something so valuable?"

"There were signs of a struggle. Maybe he was attacked," Elsa quickly added. "Could you brew some more antidote?"

The troll's anger abated, and his tone softened. "Of course I can. The real question is, could you pay for it?"

Elsa reached into the collar of her dress with fumbling fingers, and started to unfasten the beautiful medallion that hung around her neck. "Will this suffice?"

Grand Pabbie chuckled and pushed her hand down gently. "My child, you misunderstand me. I could never take a single copper coin from you. It costs us nothing to concoct the antidote, but it could cost you everything. You see, the limiting reagent is you. The first batch cost you two liters of blood. That was when you were healthy and whole. In your weakened state, an even greater sacrifice would be required to achieve the same potency. Would you go through with this barbaric ritual again? Could you endure it for a second time?"

His warning was not finished, "I also cannot guarantee that you will survive this round. The human body was not designed to withstand so much damage. In your current state, an injury of this magnitude could very easily prove fatal. Even under the most optimistic circumstances, you will bedridden and powerless for at least a month."

His subsequent words were harsh and austere, but they had to be said. "Worst case, Arendelle buries you tonight. There is a non-negligible chance that you will perish before the day is over.

Elsa swallowed nervously and felt sweat accumulating in the hollow of her palms. The agony of the first bleeding was still fresh in her mind. The dread and anticipation further amplified her psychological torment. She had so many close calls with death already, and had miraculously survived to this moment. How could she be in danger yet again? "What will a second bottle cost me?"

Grand Pabbie rubbed his weary forehead and gave a melancholic sigh. "Flesh, blood, bone, and marrow." Every syllable was enunciated with the cold, uncompromising austerity of a pickaxe clanging against a particularly stubborn block of ice.

Elsa instinctively threw both hands over her mouth to stop her jaw from dropping at the sheer horror of what she'd heard. "What did you say?" she managed to sputter.

"Flesh, blood, bone, and marrow. A hand or a foot ought to suffice, if coupled with a willing heart."

"No!" Elsa fell to her knees and flung her arms around the troll, all her dignity and restraint forgotten as she sobbed into his shoulder. "Grand Pabbie, please! Don't do this to me!"

The ancient troll hugged her tightly to his chest. His stony heart beat against her flesh with a rhythm and resonance that was surprisingly human. "Remember, Elsa. You don't have to do this. This is not your debt to pay. No one is obligated to fix a problem they did not create, especially with stakes so high. My child, you always have a choice."

_You always have a choice,_ Elsa repeated silently, cringing at those words. She had a choice, and yet she didn't. Then the grim realization dawned that her whole life had been an endless cycle of such predicaments. She didn't choose to be born with these powers that condemned her to a childhood to isolation and fear. She didn't choose to bear the crown, but Arendelle would fall into destitution if she opted out in favor of a simpler life. She didn't choose to have Hans rape her. She didn't choose to be forever stained with his filth, and sentenced to a loveless, childless future. It was all so unfair.

Now she had to choose between being stabbed and mutilated, or watching seven hundred innocent people die in unspeakable agony. Elsa found herself drowning in indignation and self-pity. Ice crackled on the ground beneath her weight, as she sank to her knees and wept pitifully. "I never have a choice in anything!"

Elsa hugged her knees to her chest, and turned away. "I know what I have to do," she mumbled. "But I can't do it. Oh Papa, I'm sorry I'm so weak…" Shame and self-loathing corroded her insides. Why couldn't she be stronger? Arendelle would succumb to unspeakable tragedy because their queen was a spineless coward. What kind of person was she, to hear the screams of children perishing in agony, and do nothing about it? Maybe she was a monster.

Grand Pabbie wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder. His heart broke with sympathy. It wasn't fair. Many things in life were unfair, and no one knew why. "Listen to me, Elsa. You are not weak, and you are not a coward. In fact, you are the greatest thing to ever happen to this kingdom. Nobody has an infinite capacity to give. It doesn't make you selfish; it only makes you human."

Elsa turned her tear-stained face and swollen eyes to meet him. "Do what you must," she spoke in barely a whisper.

"Excuse me?"

"It has to be done," Elsa insisted gently, her face pale but determined. She rolled up a sleeve and extended her right hand. "Something good must come out of this." Elsa smiled grimly as she remembered the moment she first learned of the ingredients only she could give. The heart of an ice-bearer; willingly surrendered without question, without reluctance, without expectation of reward. Jewels and precious metals so pure and exquisite, they could only be found in the crown she wore. "I can do this for our people. For the children. They are the true crown jewels of this kingdom."

Grand Pabbie wiped a tear from his eye and pulled her into a hug. "If your father could see you right now, he would be the proudest man in Heaven. I bet he is up there right now, telling all the saints and angels, 'That's my girl.'" The troll wished to exchange more pleasantries, but time was rapidly running out, and there was an important mission to be fulfilled. Without another word, he unsheathed the jagged obsidian knife from his belt. The shiny black stone was grimy with dried blood. "Are you ready?"

Elsa nodded and squeezed her eyes shut. She tried her hardest to dissociate her mind from the pain and terror of what was to come. Thirteen years of isolation had made her an expert at suppressing her emotions and dissociating herself from stressful situations. As Grand Pabbie's cold, stony fingers closed around her wrist, she clenched her teeth tightly and refused to utter a sound. His grip became agonizingly tight. 'Conceal, don't feel,' Elsa repeated silently. The fate of the kingdom could not depend on the whims and fears of one individual.

The troll tightened his grip and began bending her hand so far back, the bones and joints were on the verge of rupturing. As Elsa felt the tip of the knife dig into her skin, a sudden gust of terror flooded her heart.

"No!" she screamed in terror, yanking back her hand and involuntarily blasting a massive eruption of ice that covered the fields and trees with a thick layer of sharp, jagged ice.

* * *

><p>Grand Pabbie instantly dropped the knife and reached out tentatively to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder, but Elsa jerked away. "I'm sorry, I can't do this!" she collapsed weakly to her knees in a fit of sobs. "It's so bloody terrifying!" She buried her face between her knees as wave after wave of uncontrollable sobs wracked her chest.<p>

Finally, she began to calm down. She lowered her head and peeked at him out the corner of one eye. "Is there truly no other way?" The troll shook his head apologetically.

Elsa sighed and shook her head. She had always known that her position in life and her unique powers meant that she would have to make many difficult decisions. Decisions that would have far-reaching ramifications, influencing the lives of thousands of people, dictating the course of history and being remembered for generations to come. But this was cruel and barbaric beyond her wildest imagination. How on earth had she managed to wind up in this position?

Her mind flashed back to her childhood. Whenever she was scared or hurt, Mama would always comfort her with music. Now she felt very much like a frightened, helpless little girl again. Almost instinctively, Elsa conjured up a harp of solid ice, and began to pluck gently at the strings. The soft, melodious music provided a much-needed distraction and opiate from the dreadful predicament she was in.

But in a cruel twist of irony, the music would also remind her of the decision that had to be made. The icy harp in her hands was a near-perfect replica of the one sitting on her nightstand back at the castle. The same harp that she used to lull Isabella to sleep. The same harp she had used to inundate a room full of dying children with a melody of hope and peace. Elsa remembered how their suffering tore her heart to pieces. She had wished so desperately that she could do something to ease their pain. Today she had that opportunity, and she would be a fool to waste it.

_Love will thaw,_ Elsa whispered silently. _And love will heal._ While her body trembled in anticipation of the excruciating pain to come, a strange sense of peace flooded her heart. This would be a different kind of pain from what Hans had done to her. This time, she would be suffering for love, not fear. Nothing good had come from Hans raping her. But there was triumph at the end of this torturous journey she was now undertaking. Just the prospect of seeing the wondrous healing magic at work, restoring hope and joy to Arendelle, would repay every moment of strife. She held out her hand to the troll and gave a quick nod, granting him permission to proceed. _Love will heal._

Once again, the troll's stubby, stony fingers closed around her wrist, while his opposite hand held hers in such a crushing grip, she could hear the delicate bones and cartilage of her fingers splintering. "Please be gentle," she whispered imploringly, with fresh tears glistening in her sapphire orbs. But her plea was perfunctory at best. There was no gentle way to perform this task.

In a strong, swift motion, Grand Pabbie wrenched her hand loose from its wrist joint. The shattered carpal bones burst through her skin like weeds erupting through a layer of soil, and formed a jagged arc of splintered bone that spanned the width of her wrist. Long, ragged ribbons of shredded tendon and muscle fibers dangled limply from the open wound. Thick, red coagulated blood and marrow trickled from the lacerated skin and dripped down to her elbow. Pain shot up her arm and exploded in her brain in violent waves of agony, as every nerve was laid bare. "I'm so sorry, my child." Grand Pabbie's apologetic whisper went unheard. Finally, the troll drew his knife and slashed through the remaining soft tissue, detaching the lifeless hand from her arm. The deed was done.

Elsa could feel her body weakening and mind slipping into oblivion, as a thick black haze clouded her vision. Her magic was also dissipating at a much quicker pace than it did the first time, and she could've sworn that the icy horse wobbled precariously when she climbed onto its back. She turned her gaze skyward. It was roughly noon, perhaps slightly later. If her journey went without hitch, she would be back in Arendelle with several hours to spare.

Grand Pabbie's capped the bottle and handed it to her. "Do _not_ lose this. If you need a third dosage for whatever reason, it will require nothing short of your heart."

**Fingers crossed that Elsa will get the happy ending she deserves!**


End file.
